Electrode holder



Aug. 31, 1943. v, FORGETT 2,323,067

ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed Feb. 28, 1942 Patented Aug. 3l, 1943 L.UNITEDvSTATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRODE HOLDER Valmore Forgett, Teaneck, N. J.,assignor to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 28, 1942, SerialNo. 432,883

3 Claims. (Cl. 219-8) This invention relates to electrode holders forarc welding.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved, fullyinsulated, electrode holder that is suitable for Weldingl in closequarters such as encountered on the complicated assemblies used inaircraft production. Complete insulation of the electrode holder isadvantageous for such work because an arc may jump from an uninsulatedstem to atube, or other part, that is close to the stem and produce ascar or blemish that will result in a rejection of the assembly when itreaches the inspection department.

This invention includes a construction in which an electrode is clampedin the head of the holder by a stem that threads into the head. Theinsulation on the head overlaps the insulation on the stem, andthethreads on the stem extend for considerable distance under theinsulation on the stem so that whenever the end of the stem becomesmushroomed or otherwise damaged so that it does not readily screw intothe head, the end of the stem can be cut oli and new threads exposed bypeeling back the insulation on the stem.

Another feature of the invention relates to a construction of theelectrode holder with a molded insulation that is applied to the holderafterthe various parts, except the head, are in assembled relation. Themolded insulation preferably holds a springl for keeping the lead cablefrom bending sharply at the end of the'handle,

removed from the end of the lead cable I3, the cable end inserted intothe socket I2 and secured to the stem l0, and a coil spring I9 aroundthe lead cable positioned as shown in the drawing before the insulationI6 is applied. With the parts in such assembled relation, the insulationI6 is molded on and the spring I 9 is held in position by the insulationthat forms the handle I1. The spring I9 prevents the lead cable frombeing bent sharply where it comes out of the handle Il.

A head 2| has an internally-threaded metal sleeve 22 that screws on theend of the stem II). This-sleeve is covered with insulation 23 that.extends beyond the sleeve for a short distance at the forward end of thesleeve to form a socket that holds an insulation disk 24 which closesthe open end at the front of the insulation 23. y

The insulation 23 extends for some distance beyond the end of the sleeve22 and over the inand the lead cable is permanently attached to the ielectrode holder.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear orbe pointed out as the specication proceeds.

The drawing is a sideview, partly in elevation, but mostly in section,showing an electrode holder embodying the invention.

A body element comprising a metal stem l0, which is preferably steel orbrass, has threads for a considerable distance back from one end, andhas a socket |2v in its other end for receiving the end of a lead cableI3 that is permanently secured in the socket I2, preferably by silversolder. Beyond the'socket |2,'the lead cable I3 is covered by insulationI4.

The stem I0 is covered with insulation I6 except for a short portion atone end of the stem. At the otherend of the stem the insulation is oflarger diameter and forms a handle The insulation may be a moldedcomposition of' Bakelite and asbestos flour. In the illustratedembodiment of the invention the insulation is sulation |6 of the stemI0. The inside diameter of the insulation 23 is slightly larger than theoutside diameter of the insulation I6 on the stem.

There are openings 25 and 26 through the head 2| for receiving anelectrode. These openings extend at right angles to one another andeither may be used for the electrode. In the drawing, an electrode -21is shown in dot and dash lines clamped against the side of the opening26 by the end of the stem IIJ.

When the threads on the end of theA stem I0 become damaged, ormutilated, the defective part of the stem I0 is cut olf with a hacksaw,or by other means, and the insulation I 6 is peeled off to exposesuilicient threads to permit the stem I0 to be screwed into the head 2|far enough to clamp the electrode 2l.

The lead cable I3 has a terminal 28 for connecting it with a source ofwelding current.

Changes and modifications can be made in the illustratedv embodiment ofthe invention, and some features can be used without others.

I claim:

1. An electrode holder including a body element threaded at one end andhaving a recess at the other end, an insulated lead cable having a bareend portion permanently secured in the. recess, a coil springsurrounding the insulation on the lead cable at a region back from thebody element, a onepiece insulation jacket molded over the body element,the forward end portion of the spring, and the cable between the bodyelement and the spring to holdsaid spring in assembled relation with theother parts, the molded insulation being of large diameter in the regionof the spring and recess to serve'as a handle, a 1

head at the forward end of the body element with an opening forreceiving a welding electrode, and insulation covering the head andoverlapping the insulation on the body element to provide afully-insulated electrode holder.

2. An arc welding electrode holder comprising a stem having a handleportion at one end and an electrode engaging and clamping portion at itsother end, said stem being threaded for a substantial portion of itslength inwardly from its electrode-engaging end, insulation coveringsaid stem except for a limited portion of its length at itselectrode-engaging end, a head threaded onto the exposed, threaded endof said stem, said head having a transverse opening adapted to receivean electrode, so that when an electrode is inserted therein and the headscrewed onto the stem the end of the stem will engage and clamp theelectrode in the head, and insulation covering said head, said sternbeing threaded for a substantialy portion of its length beneath itscovering insulation, so that when the electrode-engaging end of thestern becomes mutilated as a result of its clamping action against anelectrode it may be removed and the outer portion of the insulationremoved from the stern to again present an exposed threaded portion ofthe stem of the length of the initial exposed, threaded portion.

3. VA fully-insulated electrode holder for arc welding including a metalstem, a head that includes a metal sleeve that screws over the forwardend of the stem' and that has alined openings at opposite sides throughwhich a welding electrode is inserted transversely of the axis of thestern and in which the electrode is clamped by the end of the stem, aninsulating sleeve covering the metal sleeve and having openingsinregister with the openings in the metal sleeve.

and extending for some distance beyond the rearward end of the metalsleeve, threads on the forward end of the stern over a substantiallylonger length of the stem than necessary for screwing the stem into itselectrode clamping position in the head, an insulated lead cable with abare end extending into a socket in the rearward end of the stem andpermanently secured in said socket, a coil spring surrounding theinsulated lead cable at a region back from the rearward end of the stem,an insulation jacket molded over the forward end portion of the spring,the cable between the spring and stem, and over the stem except for afew threads that screw into the head, said insulation extending into therearward end of the insulating sleeve of the head and said insulationbeing of such a nature that it can be peeled off to expose new threadsif the end of the stem becomes damaged and has to be cut off.

VALMORE FORGET'I.

